No Fibromyalgia-Cancer Association Found In Study

Objective: To analyze whether Fibromyalgia (FM) and FM-like symptoms are related to an increased incidence of cancer.

Methods: We identified 1,361 patients referred on suspicion of FM in the period 1984-1999 from hospital records. Following the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria, patients were divided into subgroups – with and without confirmed FM. The cohort was followed to the end of 1999 and linked to the files of the Danish Cancer Register. Site-specific standardized incidence ratios (SIR) were calculated.

Conclusion: Neither confirmed FM nor those without confirmed FM predicted cancer. An increased risk of breast cancer was found among those who did not meet the ACR criteria for FM. These patients should be investigated if they develop any new or warning symptoms of malignancy, and treating physicians should be vigilant with screening procedures such as mammography.